Balance: A Ninjago Fanfic
by TLFScarheart12
Summary: Requested by FishE1. Jay is captured by Lord Garmadon and Zane goes to the underworld to save him. While there they learn more of Lord Garmadon's ultiment plan.
1. Chapter 1: Into the Underworld

A dark sky surrounded the dojo that day, cloudy and dismal. Kai, Zane, and Cole looked up at the sky though the window. For them Gloomy skies at times meant bad news,

"You're call, Zane," Cole said, "Garmadon, or rain?"

"Lord Garmadon…but it's strange," Zane replied, "I sense he is not actively in Ninjago. I suggest we wait for now and see what come our way, be it an attack, or orders from Sensei."

The others nodded, and went to breakfast. Kai made the rice and miso and the 3 ate.

Half way through the meal Kai finally realized why it was so quiet.

"Where's Jay?" he asked.

"Maybe he was up late working on an invention. I'll go wake him up," Cole said.

He got up and headed towards Jay's room, a short walk. He opened the door and his eyes widened.

"KAI! ZANE! SENSEI! COME QUICK!" Cole shouted urgently.

Zane and Kai immediately left their half-finished breakfast and ran to Cole's side, Sensei Wu joining them.

A shocking sight met their eyes. Jay wasn't there. Furniture was overturned. Scuff marks were on the floor. There had been a struggle, and Jay apparently did not win.

Zane could not believe it. He had sensed danger the night before but hadn't acted on it out of exhaustion. If he had known Jay would be the cost…he simply felt awful.

Sensei entered the room and picked up a scroll that was under Jay's pillow. He read it over then faced the other ninjas.

"Jay is alive," he announced, "but he is being held captive by lord Garmadon's army. They claim he will be returned safely in return for the golden weapons. But I doubt their word."

"What are we going to do?" asked Kai.

"I have an idea but it's pretty risky," Cole said, after a moment's thought, "we could hand over a bag with the weapons in it. Trick is the weapons won't really be in the bag. One of us will be. Anyone want to volunteer?"

At first no one spoke.

Then Zane said, "I will. I'm partly to blame for this. It's only right that I go after him."

The others didn't quite understood what Zane meant, but his face told them there would be no argument. He was going.

Hours later Zane was handed over in a sack to the enemy. As predicted Jay was not handed back to them.

Zane soon felt himself taken at top speed into the underworld. The speed and the fact that Zane could not see his surrounding made him sick to his stomach. It took all of his effort not to puke and give himself away.

At last the vehicle slowed down and stopped.

Zane felt the bag he was in lifted up and set on the floor. He prepared himself for battle.

As soon as the bag was open Zane sprang out like a jack-in-the-box. Before the two skeletons who had opened the bag could react he kicked him doth in the chest.

"NINGAAAGO!"

Zane then became a tornado of ice that crashed through skeletons with a fury of martial arts and icy energy.

When he finished only one skeleton was still conscious, and said skeleton was decapitated. Zane picked up the skull and held it over the ledge.

"Don't drop me!" the skull pleaded.

"Then tell me where Jay is," Zane said coldly.

"He…he's in the prison area. Just past the battle camps," the skull confessed.

"Battle camps?" Zane raised an eyebrow.

"L-Lord Garmadon is planning a huge attack. But I don't know any details! I swear I don't!" the skull stammered.

Zane put the skull safely back on the ledge.

"Thanks" he said before slipping off into the shadows.


	2. Chapter 2: The Scroll of Answers

Zane crept up upon a large open area, soon seeing for himself the truth behind the skull's words. There was a large battle camp, easily 5000 skeletons of various ranks, too many for Zane to take on alone. Zane needed to remain alive if he was to save Jay.

Zane strained his ears over the din of the battle camp trying to catch anything to tell him if Jay was alright. Jay was alive. Zane could sense that much. All he could do beyond that, was hope he was alright.

But Zane heard not even a murmur from his talkative teammate.

Zane hugged the wall sticking in the shadows. He slowly made his way around the area sticking in the shadows of the underworld. It was slow, but he wasn't seen.

At last Zane made it to the other side of the area and was close to what looked like a dungeon. Again he paused listening for signs for his friend. Again there was nothing.

Jay's never this quiet, Zane thought worryingly.

He picked up his pace and entered the dungeon scanning though the bone bars. Most were empty or just had a few small undead critters in them. But Zane didn't know where else Jay would be.

At last he spotted him. Still in his pajamas, Jay was bound and gagged lying on the ground of his cell. Him doing his best to smile when the white ninja stepped out of the shadows, assured Zane that Jay was conscious.

"That explains why you were so quiet," Zane whispered reaching through the bars to untie Jay, and free his mouth, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay, and boy am I glad to see you!" Jay whispered back.

"I'm sorry I didn't come while you were being kidnapped," Zane apologized, "But I'm here now and I'm going to get you out of here,"

He used his normal shurikens to break the lock on the door. It slowly opened and Zane helped Jay his feet.

"I've overheard a lot while in here," Jay whispered, "Our work here is not done…would it be appropriate to say 'a ninja's job is never done' here… anyway Garmadon's trying to find a weak spot for sensei. Something about his unbalance needing to go over his balance."

"His what?" Zane asked.

Jay shook his head, "I don't really understand it, which is why we need to get more information before we can go back to the dojo."

Zane nodded, "The cattle camp is nearby. There should be clues there."

The two of them headed into the battle camp taking care not to be seen. They snuck between the tents. And eventually into one that was empty save for a few dozen scrolls.

"I'll keep watch. Try to find something on balance," Jay whispered.

Zane nodded and started looking through the scrolls. They were about various legends and facts about Ninjago. Things Lord Garmadon could use to plan his conquer.

One scroll was different though. It spoke about Garmadon and Wu.

"I think I found what we're looking for Jay," Zane whispered.

Jay looked over Zane's shoulder and Zane read the scroll.

Lord Garmadon and Sensei Wu were brothers and offspring of the first spinjitsu master. Because of this both of them had a unique gift. They could control all four elements in their attacks.

However there was one huge difference. While Sensei Wu could do them all at once, Lord Garmadon could not as easily, unless he used the four weapons. Jealousy of Wu's power, Lord Garmadon sought to become stronger, and still does.

For this reason it is said that while both brothers can use all four elements, Wu is said to represent balance, while Lord Garmadon resembles imbalance.

Jay stood in shock, "So that's why we fight lord Garmadon. I mean other than he wants to rule Ninjago, and uses skeletons to frighten and kill others, and…" Jay started to babble.

"Not so loud Jay," Zane whipered, "They'll hear us."

Too late!

Within moments both ninjas were surrounded.


	3. Chapter 3: Balance on the Team

"Oops…" Jay said timidly.

Zane tucked the scroll into his clothes and brought out his shurikans, "No time to lament. Time to leave. NINGAAAGO!"

Zane spun into a tornado of icy energy again. Jay followed in suit becoming a tornado of bright blue lightning.

The two twirled with their moves taking out several skeletons heading towards the exit. The only way out of the underworld was through the fire temple. The others would be waiting there to bring them back to the dojo.

Suddenly, Zane heard a cry of pain. He looks and saw one of the skeletons take a bloody sword of Jay's spinjitsu tornado. The tornado slowed to show Jay is shoulder bleeding.

Zane kicked past the skeleton giving Jay an escape.

"Go and hide I'll buy you some time and join," he told him.

Jay nodded and stood clutching his injured shoulder. He made his way through the gap and out of the battle camp.

Zane watched him go while fighting more skeletons.

Now to get myself out, he thought.

He spun back into his tornado deciding he could buy them both time by wrecking the camp. He started going throughout the camp knocking over tables, destroying tents, and mixing up weapons.

Perfect! This will also buy Ninjago some time, he thought smiling.

He then ducked out of sight staying in the shadows. He moved through the shadows until he found Jay.

Zane knelt beside his wounded found and unbuttoned his pajamas shirt enough to expose his shoulder.

Zane signed with relief. It wasn't too deep. But Jay wouldn't be able to use his left arm for a while.

Zane then took off his mask to use to wrap abound jays shoulder as a make shift bandage.

"Zane what are you doing? You'll get recognized. Then they can track us down and things will only get worse from there. You could endanger the whole…" Jay babbled in whispers.

"How will they recognize me?" Zane asked, "We're not going to be seen until we meet the others at the fire temple."

"How do you know?" Jay asked in return.

"Because they'll be too busy fixing the camp," Zane whispered, "We only have to worry about the underworld's natural dangers."

With that h tied his mask around Jay's shoulder. Jay winced in pain but did not cry out.

"That'll hold you until we can get you some proper treatment," Zane said, "Right now we need to wait for the skeletons to give up looking for us and start fixing the camp."

Jay nodded and was quiet for a moment, then said, "A thought of something about the scroll. I know Sensei put us together for our elements. Cole for earth, Kai for fire, you for ice, and me for lightning, but are there other ways we're balanced?"

Zane thought for a moment before replying, "I can think of one way, but I don't think they were intentional, so much just how we turned out."

"Like what?" Jay asked quietly.

"Kai and Cole have always had more physical attributes. Cole is very strong, and tough, and Kai is one of the fastest, as well as a strong fighter. You and I on the other hand, make up the mental strength of the team. You with your inventions and creativity, and me with my sixth sense," Zane explained.

"We're on the same side of the team? But we're so different. I'm always full of energy and love to talk, and you…I've seen you stand still and remain silent for hours on end when you're deep in thought," Jay babbled.

"I guess that's just balance within balance," Zane replied.

"HEY!" a voice boomed, "WHAT HAPPENED HERE! CLEAN THIS CAMP UP NOW!"

"That's our cue," Zane whispered.

He and Jay crept out of the area in the shadows of the underworld.


	4. Chapter 4: Journey to the Fire Temple

Jay and Zane crept silently through the underworld away from the battle camp and towards the fire temple where the others were waiting.

Jays shoulder throbbed though and he felt He felt tired and slightly dizzy from that.

Finally half way there Jay stopped resting against a stalagmite.

"Give me a minute…" Jay said tiredly.

"We don't have a minute," Zane said. He sensed danger.

"Then keep going without me. I can't stake another step. My legs are hurting. And so is my shoulder," Jay said.

Zane sighed. He knew Jay was pushing himself more than he should be. But he could not shake off his sixth sense that easily. Danger was coming. They needed to move.

Zane went up to Jay and leaned his uninjured side against him putting Jays arm around his shoulder.

"Come on we're half way there already," Zane said walking with Jay still leaning on him.

He sensed the danger growing closer. He had to shield them for a moment somehow.

He quickly scanned the area, and found a crack in the wall large enough to fit one of them in.

As quickly as he could without hurting Jay further, Zane helped Jay into the crack.

"Stay here," he said.

"Which is it? Keep moving or stay put?" Jay joked.

"Right now it's stay put," said Zane.

Jay rolled his eyes, "That was a joke Zane."

Zane didn't answer. Out of habit he reached for his mask to pull it over his face. Upon remembering it was covering Jay's wound, he pulled out his shurikens.

Before him a spider easily bigger then both him and Jay combined dropped down moving its mouth hungrily.

Zane frowned thinking for a second. He didn't want cut the web it was hanging on incase it decided to retreat he'd have to aim low.

He threw his shurikans but missed and landed behind the giant spider.

The spider landed though its abdomen was still attached to the ceiling.

Thinking fact Zane ran drawing the spider away from Jay.

He angled himself and started running up the wall. He then wall jumped to a large stalactite and jumped back down landing hard on the spider's abdomen. If there was anything any creepy crawly hated, no matter what size, it was being stepped on.

Zane then jumped flipping through the air and landed next to his shruikans. He picked them up and faced the spider. Zane threw the shurikans again hitting the spider in the mouth.

The spider made a noise of pain and retreated up its web. Its mouth must have hurt too much now to want to eat.

Zane caught his breath and returned to Jay again leaning him on his shoulder.

"I don't feel so good…" Jay mumbled.

Zane noticed Jay was sweating heavily and had turned pale. But he couldn't do anything here.

"Just lean on me and keep moving. Sensei will know how to help you," he told him.

The two started off again. Jay again was unusually quiet. Zane's sixth sense picked up another issue. Jay was going to die unless they got out of here.

At last the two come an area with an opens high above them. The opening would lead right to the fire temple and back into their home world.

Zane leaned Jay against the wall.

"KAI! COLE! SENSEI!" he shouted up at the hole.

"Where's here Zane!" Cole's voice replied.

"Send down a rope! Jay's injured! He can't climb!" Zane called.

Within second a rope was sent down. Zane tire it around Jay and he was pulled up Zane climbing after him using his shurikens to help him hold the wall. Half way Zane saw jay lose consciousness.

Kai took Zane's hand and helped him the rest of the way.

Sensei took Zane's mask off of Jay's wound. The area around it had turned a bluish green.

"Poison," Sensei said angrily taking out his tea set.

"Sensei this is no time for a cup of…" Kai started, but he stopped when he saw sensei put an extra herb in and force feed it to Jay.

Zane watched his injured friend who showed no signs of life. Tears pricked his eyes but he refused to let them out.

"I'm sorry Jay…" Zane said softly, "I couldn't protect you…please wake up…"

Cole took Zane shoulder firmly and lead him away.

"I know you Zane. You did what you could down there. You need to give yourself a break," he advised.

At that moment Zane heard Jay groan.

He broke free of Cole's clasp and was soon at the side of a coming round Jay.

"Jay are you okay?" Kai asked.

"I feel weak…" Jay muttered, "But I guess I'll live."

"You'll be fine," Sensei Wu smiled.

"I'd better be. We learned something about our team. It looks like if one of us goes down then all of Ninjago will be in trouble," Jay said sitting up.

"What? How?" Kai asked.

"It's explained in the scroll plus some thinking Jay and I did," Zane explained producing the scroll and handing it to Sensei Wu, "The team is in a complete balance which is what has to be used to overcome lord Garmadon. If any of us are brought down the balance is tipped."

"It appears Zane and Jay are right…this could be a weakness…the four of you must continue to look out for each other, for you own sakes and for Ninjago's.

Footnote to FishE1: Hi! Thanks for the idea. Sorry it took so long to finish your request. Got caught up in a film. Hope a long final chapter makes up for it.


End file.
